Road Cycling“It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Here is my 81 or 82 Gitane Tour de France. Frame is Reynolds 531 with Simplex dropouts. I am the third owner. The original owner raced it and initially had it built up with an assortment of French, Japanese and Italian parts. Stronglight crank, Campy BB and DT shifters, MKS pedals, Shimano Crane rear derailleur and 600 brakes, Mafac brake levers, 3TTT stem, Huret front derailleur, Maillard hubs with Mavic and Matrix rims.

I built it up with early 2000s (I think) 9 speed Campy Chorus. For now it's got the original crank and pedals until I get a 102mm French threaded BB for the Chorus crankset. Wheels are Chorus hubs to Mavic Open Pro Ceramic. Tires will be replaced soon. Brooks B17.

I am very pleased with it so far. I haven't done any long rides yet, (it's been below the 20s here in Iowa) but I hope to soon and it should be a very nice ride.

Here is my 81 or 82 Gitane Tour de France. Frame is Reynolds 531 with Simplex dropouts. I am the third owner. The original owner raced it and initially had it built up with an assortment of French, Japanese and Italian parts. Stronglight crank, Campy BB and DT shifters, MKS pedals, Shimano Crane rear derailleur and 600 brakes, Mafac brake levers, 3TTT stem, Huret front derailleur, Maillard hubs with Mavic and Matrix rims.

I built it up with early 2000s (I think) 9 speed Campy Chorus. For now it's got the original crank and pedals until I get a 102mm French threaded BB for the Chorus crankset. Wheels are Chorus hubs to Mavic Open Pro Ceramic. Tires will be replaced soon. Brooks B17.

I am very pleased with it so far. I haven't done any long rides yet, (it's been below the 20s here in Iowa) but I hope to soon and it should be a very nice ride.

[QUOTE=Rideforroswell;8322967]Am I the only one here with a low end ride?

I am guessing that most regular BF posters tend to be a bit preoccupied/obsessed with cycles and cycling or we would not spend so much time on the site. Consequently, most of us own more or less high end rigs. As long as yours suits your needs and desires, it's perfect. Ride the wheels off it. It hit 59 degrees here in MD today and, out on my ride, I thought I felt just a touch of spring myself.